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Wishing or Keeping?

I was looking up a particular scripture this morning in Deuteronomy. I specifically wanted to find the one that discusses the diseases mentioned and even those not yet mentioned that will be brought among us when we choose not to obey God. It is apparent that new diseases are being discovered daily. Most of which I believe are directly related to our lifestyle–poor nutrition, stress and even failing relationships. These are not the cause…they are the symptoms–the cause is disobedience.

We disobey and eat junk knowing we shouldn’t. We pile on responsibilities we have no right in doing because chances are……they are for the wrong motive. By doing so, this creates added stress, which in turn impairs our health, which impairs our relationships. We disobey in not investing in and developing our selves, which affects all the areas mentioned above. The vicious cycle continues though generations. Ever heard the story of the family cooking Thanksgiving and they placed the ham in the pan wondering the secret of cutting the ends off? When traced, it was only because the ham didn’t fit in the pan. Generations continued a tradition out of inconvenience never questioning any different. You can make the slight edge changes every day that will be the ripple effect for lifetimes to come.

Let me get back on track here! For years God will give me one word, or a passage of scripture knowing I will research it. He knows I do have melancholy in me! He then speaks volumes to me. This morning I read an all too familiar passage of scripture. Blessings and cursing. While my specific intent was to prove the abundance of newly discovered diseases are not newly discovered, but prophesied ages ago, I found something else.

In the passage discussing the cursing, this scripture jumped off the page. “In the morning you shall say, Would that it were evening! And at evening you shall say, Would that it were morning!–because of the anxiety and dread of your minds and hearts and the sights which you shall see with your own eyes.” Do you see what I see? We simply wish our lives away. In comparison to what they saw then and we see now are no different. Well….except maybe the lion’s den or being stoned to death! Anxiety & dread paralyze regardless of what the generation is looking at.

As I continued to read, I was amazed at how many things correlate with what our nation is facing today. Keeping His commandments, obeying His statutes, honoring His word is what He requires. Men’s hearts are failing with fear. People living distressed, discontent, depressed, and in debt are accepted in society. This is the new norm. Or is it? Seems to me, it has been happening for generations.

The answer is the same. Deut. 28 lays it out as a blueprint. I could only hope to stop the cycle of “wishing” and develop the cycle of “keeping.” Keep His commandments, keep life, keep joy, keep obeying, keep sanity, keep healthy, keep helping, keep serving, keep hoping…….etc.

In a hopeless and helpless society, I choose to be a hope broker. Building strong communities that embrace the same vision will change a nation. Creating a culture of servant leaders who will break the cycle of disobedience, while displaying excellence through generations, will alter the course of our history. Remember….it’s not about us, but those who will read our story with hopes of changing theirs.